The Hidden Gem of Disney Springs: Wine Bar George

Save yourself the plane ticket to Tuscany, you can enjoy the tastes of the world’s best vineyards right here at Wine Bar George in Disney Springs. Should you – like us – need a little guidance with your wine selections, you’ll be delighted to know that every staff member is well versed and can make recommendations based on your personal preferences or your food selection. In fact, the staff trains daily to continue their education in order to be able to assist patrons in making the best selections.

George Miliotes, owner of Wine Bar George and Master Sommelier, can more often than not be found in house, and to our great pleasure, was not only present during our visit, but also escorted us to our table and started us off with his own personal recommendation: Digby, a brut hailed from Sussex, England. This set the festive tone of the evening, and we were ready for more.

You may have heard of Wine Bar George from their Instagrammable hit, the Frozcato Sugar Cookie Sandwich, which has both thrilled and cooled down those 21+ all summer long, and which can be purchased at their outdoor quick service counter.

However, once you step inside, you will be treated to what can be coined as an industrial chic atmosphere, where rustic, down-to-earth vibes meet sophistication. You will certainly not feel out of place walking in for a glass of vino and a small plate (more on those in a moment!) in between shopping, but you have also met your match if you are searching for a high end establishment to enjoy a multi-course meal and one of the largest wine selections in central Florida.

Touching on their vast wine selection – over 140, in fact – one of the most unique facts about Wine Bar George, is that you are able to order wines by the bottle, glass, and ounce. You heard correctly, that Harlan Estate that you have always desired to try but couldn’t quite afford at $2040 per bottle, is now within reach at $85 for the one ounce pour. Of course that is one of their highest end bottles, and their offerings range from a few dollars to, well, thousands, so you can find a perfect wine for every occasion and every budget.

We left the wine pairings entirely up to the recommendations of our wonderful server, Avery, who never failed us and brought out excellent options for each course of our meal.

Our first course was the Artisanal Cheese Board, which featured four cheeses, olives, honeycomb, fig jam, crackers, and grilled bread, and I am not too proud to tell you I may have fought my husband over the last of it. It was a delicious way to whet our appetites.

Circling back to those Small Plates I mentioned earlier, these are fantastic starters, or a great way to share multiple options with friends. We chose the Crispy Mac & Cheese Bites, and fell in love. You cannot pass these up. A wine expert I am not, but I can’t imagine a wine these wouldn’t pair well with. Fried crispy and golden on the outside, these are served over a bed of tomato nage, and there is nothing about these that isn’t perfection.

Our main course followed, the Wine Braised Chicken, served with Yukon Potato Hash and seasonal vegetables, and serves up to four people, which held true in our case. The chicken is flavorful and fall-off-the-bone tender.

If you still have room, there are several options for dessert. They do have key lime pie on the menu, and as many of you know, while I am no wine expert, I am a key lime pie connoisseur and was itching to try it. We wanted the full wine experience, though, so we chose to go with the Chocolate Experience, which pairs three wines with three chocolates; white, milk, and dark, respectively.

In retrospect, I am glad we went this route, because it was a lovely and fitting way to cap off our evening, but also because not having tried their KLP means I have an immediate reason to return. Win/win. We were instructed to mix and match the trios to discover which pairing suited us individually. I’m not sure what it says about me that I preferred the white chocolate paired with the merlot the most, but there you have it. (If you do know what that says about me, only tell me if it’s flattering.)

Our dining experience was a home run, and we are already planning return visits (yes, plural). We hear their brunch, offered Saturdays and Sundays, is all the rage, so we are adding that to our bucket list. Thank you to WBG for hosting us; it was a phenomenal evening.